Seven days is the comfortable middle
Seven days, three nights in each city, is the comfortable middle. The fastest trains between Chengdu East and Chongqing’s Shapingba station take about an hour, so you can fly into one city and out of the other without losing a day. Five days covers the two cities; nine lets you add Leshan or Mount Emei from Chengdu and Wulong or Dazu from Chongqing.
The pairing is popular closer to home: in 2025 about seven in ten foreign arrivals in Chongqing came from Southeast Asia, led by Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
Five, seven or nine days
| Days | Chengdu | Chongqing | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2 nights: pandas, teahouses, old lanes | 2 nights: riverside nights, hillside streets | A first taste, a long weekend plus leave |
| 7 | 3 nights: add Leshan or Mount Emei | 3 nights: add Wulong or Dazu | Most travellers; families with older parents |
| 9 | 4 nights: Leshan and a slower day | 4 nights: Wulong and Dazu | Photographers, slower travel, mixed-age groups |
The 7-day shape is shown at the top of this page. For more on each city, see Chengdu and Chongqing.
Which city first?
Let your flights decide. From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Airlines flies direct to Chengdu Tianfu, and there are direct flights to Chongqing too. From Singapore, Chongqing’s official media reported daily direct flights to Chongqing from December 2025. Schedules change by season, so check current flights before fixing the order.
An open-jaw ticket, into one city and out of the other, saves the backtrack. There is no time difference from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. For entry rules by passport, see Entering China with a Southeast Asian passport.
The train between them: the station matters
| From Chengdu East to | Fastest on our sample date |
|---|---|
| Shapingba (Chongqing) | about 1 h 02 |
| Chongqing West | about 1 h 06 |
| Chongqing North | about 1 h 17 |
These are the fastest trains on China Railway 12306 for a sample date in November 2026; many trains take 1 h 15 to 1 h 45. Pick the Chongqing station closest to your hotel rather than the fastest train. For booking with a passport, see Getting around China.
Chengdu: pandas and day trips
Pandas. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding requires an online real-name reservation: book with your passport details and bring the same passport. Bookings open up to 14 days ahead and close when the day’s quota is full. The exception: seniors aged 60 and above, and children aged 6 and under or under 1.3 m, get free admission without a reservation and enter with their own original ID. The official page lists a passport among accepted ID documents but does not say whether this free admission covers foreign visitors, so confirm at the entrance. Go early; check the official page for the season’s hours. The separate Dujiangyan panda base has been closed since 23 April 2026 with no reopening date, so don’t plan around it.
Leshan or Mount Emei. Both belong to the UNESCO site Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha, inscribed in 1996. Fast trains reach Leshan in about 40–45 minutes and Emeishan station in a little over an hour. Neither station is at the sight itself: allow for a local transfer, and for Mount Emei, a full day.
Chongqing: day trips
Wulong. Part of the UNESCO South China Karst, known for its natural bridges and sinkholes. Since 2025, fast trains from Chongqing East to Wulong South take about 35–40 minutes. From Chongqing North or West the trip takes about 1 h 40 or more, so check the departure station. A feeder transfer to the scenic area follows.
Dazu Rock Carvings. A UNESCO site since 1999. Fast trains reach Dazu South in 20–40 minutes, but there are few of them each day, and the carvings at Baoding Mountain are about an hour by road from the station. A car for the day is often simpler.
What about a Yangtze cruise?
A Three Gorges cruise from Chongqing takes about four days downstream to Yichang, a day longer upstream, and ends far from Chengdu. It suits a longer trip better than this route. In winter fewer ships sail, and the boarding dock can change with the water level.
Where local arrangements help
The two cities are easy on their own. The day trips are where the pieces multiply: the right station for Wulong, the few trains to Dazu, the transfer from Leshan station to the Buddha, and a panda booking that opens 14 days out for everyone except young children and seniors. With older parents or young children, a driver and a guide who paces the day make the difference.
Our team has been hosting international visitors in China for more than 10 years, working with carefully selected local travel partners who have a good local reputation. Tell us your dates, where you are flying from and which day trips appeal, and our team will get back to you.
Starting from Singapore? China trip from Singapore covers visa-free entry, direct flights from Changi and how many days to plan.
Questions travellers ask
How many days do I need for Chongqing and Chengdu?
Seven days is comfortable: three nights in each city and one day trip from each. Five days covers the two cities only.
How long is the train from Chengdu to Chongqing?
The fastest trains take about an hour from Chengdu East to Shapingba; many take 1 h 15 to 1 h 45, and times to Chongqing North are longer.
Should I start in Chengdu or Chongqing?
Start wherever your best flight lands, and fly home from the other city to avoid backtracking.
Do I need to book the Chengdu panda base in advance?
Yes, in most cases: visitors make an online real-name reservation, which opens up to 14 days ahead, and show the same passport at the gate. Seniors aged 60 and above, and children aged 6 and under or under 1.3 m, have free admission without a reservation and enter with their own original ID. The official page does not say whether this applies to foreign visitors, so confirm at the entrance.
Is Wulong a day trip from Chongqing?
Yes, from Chongqing East station, where fast trains take about 35–40 minutes to Wulong South. Allow time for the onward transfer to the scenic area.
Can I add a Yangtze cruise?
Yes, but a Chongqing–Yichang cruise takes about four days downstream and ends far from Chengdu, so it fits a longer trip.